Cutting Garden

Maintaining a flower cutting garden is a great way to bring the beauty of an outside garden indoors.  Here you can create a tapestry of color and texture that can only add to the atmosphere.  Tony and Andrew discussed what's in their cutting garden on Tuesday's  Homegrown and two ideas stood out - the addition of Zinnias and Bells of Ireland or Molucella laevis.

Tony said he leans toward Zinnias because they're easy to arrange and he likes the size of the flower.

Zinnias provide a splash of color for any arrangement and the color variety creates endless possibilities. The state flower of Indiana is an annual that comes in many different sizes, ranging from 6" dwarfs to about 4'.  There are more than a dozen varieties of Zinnias to choose from and these work well on the border of your cutting garden.

Bells of Ireland add a classic touch to a bouquet and look nice on the parameter of your garden.  These half-hardy annuals have cup-shaped leaves, which surround white flowers. Interestingly enough, they are also in the mint family.

What would be in your dream cutting garden?